Department of Religion and Philosophy

Helping you understand the world around you—and yourself.

Our mission is to contribute to the University's historic and continuing
commitment to liberal arts education by giving you a solid grounding in
the academic study of religion and philosophy.

Majors & Minors

We offer majors and minors in religion and philosophy. Many students also choose to double major. In addition to the disciplinary knowledge and expertise that we provide, both disciplines equip students with critical thinking, writing, and communication skills that will guide them toward lives and careers in which they are prepared to be lifelong learners and to make sound value judgments in personal, social, and global matters. Learn more.

Student Organizations

Aegis: The Otterbein University Humanities Journal

As a journal designed to catalyze a deeper critical appreciation of the humanities at Otterbein University, Aegis seeks scholarly essays and book reviews that advance the presence and values of the humanities on campus and beyond. Learn more.

Graduate School & Careers

Religion and Philosophy Majors and the GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

Philosophy majors do incredibly well on graduate school admission tests. On average, students who intend to pursue graduate work in philosophy have the highest score (589) on the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE, the highest score on the Analytical Writing section (5.1), and score 15th (636) in the Quantitative Reasoning section. Religion majors also perform very well on the GRE. On average, students who intend to pursue graduate work in religion have the 6th highest score (538) on the Verbal Reasoning section and the Analytical Writing section (4.8), and score 24th out of 50 (583) in the Quantitative Reasoning Section.

Religion and Philosophy Majors and the LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

When it comes to the LSAT, students who are philosophy or religion majors have the second highest average score (157.4). Only physics and math majors score better. Interestingly, pre-law majors rank 28th on this list with an average LSAT score of 147.4.

One of the "Best Jobs" for Philosophy Majors

Based on a study conducted by CareerCast.com, professional philosophers have the 12th best job out of 200 studied. The 200 jobs were ranked according to their environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands, and stress. For more information, click here.